Slim chances of survival for miners trapped in NE China pit

HARBIN, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Search and rescue continued Monday for six miners who had been trapped in a flooded colliery pit of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province for nine days, though their chances of survival were slim.

The six people were trapped in a pit of Jiayi Coal Mine in Jidong County in the city of Jixi since Sept. 22, the local workplace safety authorities said.

Fang Dongchu, Jixi city's safety chief, said the flooded pit had been drained on Sunday, when rescuers were finally able to enter the pit for search and rescue.

As of Monday morning, the rescuers had detected no sign of life.

"But we won't give up," he said, "though their chances of survival are slim after nine days."